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Emergency ResponseHome | Image Galleries | Emergency Response

Open Water Oil Identification Job Aid

Photos showing different types and distributions of oil on water and common response activities, with example text showing how to use standard terminology to describe each scene.

Click on an image below to see the full image.
Black oil streaming to the southwest of the barge.

Black Oil Leaking From Barge
(11.30.99, Unknown) Black Oil Leaking From Barge

 Black oil collected in shoreline pocket in shallow bay. Patches of black oil and silver and gray sheens nearshore.

Black Oil Collected Along Shoreline
(11.30.99, Unknown) Black Oil Collected Along Shoreline

 Two distinct areas of black oil separated by mostly clean water. The lower streamer is breaking up into windrows.

Streamers of Black Oil
(11.30.99, Unknown) Streamers of Black Oil
Patches of gray, rainbow, and dull brown sheens.

Sheen Surfacing From Sunken Vessel
(11.30.99, Unknown) Sheen Surfacing From Sunken Vessel

 Streamer of dull brown sheen at top of picture separated from patch by clean water.

Patch of Dull Brown Sheen
(11.30.99, unknown) Patch of Dull Brown Sheen

 Dull brown sheens in center fading to rainbow (blue) and gray along the edges.

Fresh Diesel Slick
(11.30.99, Unknown) Fresh Diesel Slick
Light rainbow and gray sheens.

Light Rainbow Sheen
(11.30.99, Unknown) Light Rainbow Sheen

 Oil spreading out into dull brown and gray sheens in and around piers.

Diesel Spill in Marina
(11.30.99, Unknown) Diesel Spill in Marina

 Widely scattered transparent sheens. Very calm conditions.

Transparent Sheen
(11.30.99, Unknown) Transparent Sheen
Note heavier dull brown sheens with small patches of emulsified oil in the centers of windrows.

Windrows of Gray and Silver Sheen
(11.30.99, Unknown) Windrows of Gray and Silver Sheen

 Isolated pancake of emulsified oil surrounded by windrows of gray sheen.

Pancake of Emulsified Oil
(11.30.99, Unknown) Pancake of Emulsified Oil

 Streamer of brown, emulsified oil with silver and gray sheen along edges.

Streamer of Brown, Emulsified Oil
(11.30.99, Unknown) Streamer of Brown, Emulsified Oil
Fist-sized tarballs floating in upper righthand corner are hard to spot in an overflight because of the altitude and speed of typical flights.

Tarballs Viewed From Helicopter
(11.30.99, Unknown) Tarballs Viewed From Helicopter

 Dime- to silver dollar-sized tarballs surrounded by dull brown and gray sheen.

Tarballs Viewed From Boat
(11.30.99, Unknown) Tarballs Viewed From Boat

 Note apparent sheening off convergence line.

Convergence Line
(11.30.99, Unknown) Convergence Line
Kelp beds are often mistaken for oil. If in doubt, inspect more closely from a lower altitude.

Kelp Bed
(11.30.99, Unknown) Kelp Bed

 Large accumulations of jellyfish (during spring and summer) are often mistaken for oil.

Jellyfish
(11.30.99, Unknown) Jellyfish

 Red tide blooms are sometimes mistaken for oil.

Red Tide
(11.30.99, Unknown) Red Tide
View from a helicopter of herring spawn along shorelines. Herring spawn can easily be mistaken for silver sheen.

Herring Spawn
(11.01.07, Location: Not available) Herring Spawn

 Properly deployed boom containing sheens and loose sorbent pads.

Effective Booming Around Dry Dock
(11.30.99, Unknown) Effective Booming Around Dry Dock

 Entrainment of oil under a boom deployed in a strong current.

Entrainment of Gray and Dull Brown Sheens
(11.01.07, Location: Not available) Entrainment of Gray and Dull Brown Sheens
Black oil contained between boom and shoreline under very calm wind and current conditions.

Effective Containment of Black Oil
(11.30.99, Unknown) Effective Containment of Black Oil

 Black oil escaping under a boom at the point of attachment to the shoreline. Note the second boom, which has been deployed in order to trap the escaping oil.

Ineffective Booming of Black Oil
(11.30.99, Unknown) Ineffective Booming of Black Oil

 Boom towed in front of a skimmer, funneling oil into the skimmer.

Enhanced Skimming
(11.30.99, Unknown) Enhanced Skimming
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